Live in Europe
Living, working and moving to 3 countries within Europe was an adventure I would love to do over and over again. For those of you interested to moving to another country, here is a checklist I have provided:
Are you mentally ready?
You basically will decrease physically seeing your friends and family about 90% of what you already do. Of course there is Skype, G+ hangout, FaceTime, etc. I have missed a lot of weddings, baby showers, holding my two nieces as babies, among other things. Ask yourself if the living abroad experience is worth giving up some of those moments.
Moving abroad does not come with instructions.
No one tells you how anything works. They do not give info packets when you move somewhere! How do you pay taxes? What are your rights as an employee? When do you renew your visa? I suggest finding expat forums and websites!
Do they offer resident visas?
It is illegal to just move to another country to live and work. Of course, if you are looking for a 3 month holiday, and you hold the right passport, you can move places for 3 months on a tourist visa!
Do your research.
I cannot stress to you how important it is to understand the country you are moving too. What language do they speak? What is the housing situation? When I moved to Sweden, I did not do my research and ended up looking for an apartment for 4 months! Sweden’s housing is government regulated, so they have some housing issues here CLEARLY!
Do you have your college degree?
Many may think this is unnecessary, but in fact, it is one of the most important aspects to securing a job and obtaining your money source while in another country. You need to show employers you are able to compete with local talent and even go beyond. Think; why would they choose you instead of someone who already speaks their language?
Money.
You can’t just move to a country without some cash in your bank account. This is because you need to be able to survive for the first couple of months as you set up your accommodation and also job prospects. Are you staying in hostels? How much is an average carton of milk? Bread? Internet? You can find this information here: numbeo.com
If you are thinking you’re ready to move to Europe, I offer help and information in Living in Sweden!
Anonymous
January 3, 2022Hi Lindsey!!
I have a question. I have a visa for studying in Austria, but I was wondering if I can travel as a tourist in the Schengen area before and after the visa dates.
Thanks and happy new year 🙂
Darsy
January 27, 2020Hi There,
Had gone thru your website and is really helpful. But i am facing these problems which i hope u could advice.
I am currently 25 weeks pregnant and had overstay in germany for about 7 months. I arrive in germany on May 2019 and got married on July 2019.somehow after the 90 days of my tourist visa i set off back to Singapore on Aug 2019. I was thinking to apply for a long term visa in singapore german embassy but it took months to process and i am pregnant and helpless so i take a risk flying back to germany 5 days later. I have no problem entering to Germany and had been staying here since then.
I am having a germany health insurance right now and my newborn will be born on May 2020.
Will it be a problem when the time i need to register my newborn birth certificate? As i need to show my mutterpass, insurance card and passport.
My husband is a permenant residence here in germany and had stay here for almost 20 years.
Hope u will be able to advice and have a nice day
Lindsey
January 28, 2020Congrats on your baby ☺️ You need to get a spousal visa. In fact, you should have always been on a spousal visa since the day you got married. Unfortunately in Germany, you cannot change a tourist visa to another visa while you are in Germany…but technically you do not have a visa if you have overstayed. 🤔 I suggest contacting your embassy in Germany and asking what to do anonymously.
Sarah
January 16, 2020Hi! Im from a country that exempts visa for 90 days in Schengen. I have been in Estonia for 80 days now to be with my partner(Estonian) I was scheduled to return to my home country on the 85th day as to not overstay my “visa”.
But, unfortunately for us,(ignorant or just stupid) we only recently found out that I could apply visa D even though we are not married (legal papers for “proof” of relationship) for me to stay here longer. We always assumed Visa D was for family or legal spouses.
After several consultations and back and fro from the police and border office, I have only managed to apply for my Visa D on the 80th day. Office requires 10 working days max to process (I can’t leave the country either as passport is with them now)
I hope the visa is approved, then all is well. But, if its not, that would mean I have overstayed in Schengen (unwillingly) by at least 5 days.
Aside from my burnt flight tickets and additional money spent for future flight tickets and other collateral damages. Will this overstay leave a mark in my passport/ create problems for me to enter Schengen zone again in the future? And do I have to leave immediately on the day of my visa results? (If that isn’t approved).
The officer told me, “let’s hope it is approve, if it is not, you are in trouble” I did asked what would the legal actions be taken out. She then informs, its always a case by case action and I just need to explain the reasons I overstay. After so many issues I have faced in applying for the visa, I don’t believe it is that simple?
Im frantic, anxious and beating myself up for not finding things out sooner. I have always been very discipline on my travels. Now I feel like this might cause a taint in my passport, a mistake that might haunt me forever.
Hope to get your input. Thanks!
Lindsey
January 28, 2020Hello! Estonia is beautiful! Give yourself a deep breath! Usually if you apply in the country you can stay until you get a decision. Not sure about Estonia, but most likely ☺️ If you get denied, just carry your paperwork with you about applying to show if people question you!! Best of luck and come back to tell us if it was approved! 🤞🏼
Hana
November 28, 2019At this time I’m really only worried about moving around within the Schengen area.
Is taking a bus better than going by air as far as moving within the Schengen area?
I do have my expired Spanish residency card. But that would show I have been overstaying.
Lindsey
November 28, 2019It doesn’t really matter because Schengen does not have borders (unless like I mentioned). Airports don’t have you pass through control and neither do buses. But do whatever you feel is best for you.
Ian Cevallos
November 26, 2019Hello,
My step son is currently living and working in Nante. He was on a 1 ear student visa but did not attend the school because he changed his mind. His Visa is now about 2 months expired and he wants to apply for a work visa so he can stay while he applies for dual citizenship. His birth father is French and he has been working to get dual citizenship. I am worried that he may be in trouble because he let his Visa expires and has also recently lost his passport. However he has assured me that there are no issues and he can easily get a work visa once he gets a new passport and pays the 180 Euros for the woke visa. I have a feeling he is in trouble if being deported. What are your thoughts?
Lindsey
November 28, 2019Hey Ian! Not sure what his citizenship is? But usually you cannot just get a work visa if you don’t have a visa to begin with 😬. He will probably run into some issues with that. As for being deported, usually they just ask you to leave by a certain date on your own accord. But why didn’t he just apply for dual before he came to France? All these problems would have been solved.
Hana Qamar Cat
November 15, 2019I’m from the US. I’ve had a residence visa for 5 years in Spain but let it lapse 8 months ago. So now I am living in Spain illegally. I want to move to Poland but am not sure I will be allowed into another Schengen country when I ty to leave Spain. My passport needs to be renewed as it will expire in a few months. Will a new fresh passport ( no stamps) help me with this? And how should I plan to exit to have the least hassle? Bus, train, plane and to where?
Lindsey
November 28, 2019Tricky situation! Poland has a bilateral agreement with the US, so even if you are in Schengen for the 90 days, you can apply longer to stay in Poland (for up to 90 days, mind you). But you cannot just “move” somewhere without a type D visa for that country! I hope you have a plan for that and not living as a visa-dodging fugitive 😂 As for a new passport, that won’t help you because when you exit Schengen someday the guards will have more reason to question you and ask for proof of previous visas, etc. so you need to keep the expired passport handy to prove your past legality. Best of luck!
Anonymous
September 1, 2019Hello! I’m from Turkey and I came to Malta by student visa but my visa expired also i found job and that company wants to sponsored to me. Can I still get work permit or what I have to do? Thank you in advance.
Lindsey
September 7, 2019Hello! You cannot usually turn a student visa into a work visa (especially if your visa has expired!) You will need to go back to Turkey and have the company start the work visa process for you. I suggest speaking with the Maltese embassy in Turkey for more information on work visas in Malta.
Anonymous
November 7, 2018Thanks, I read a lot and it help.
Lindsey
November 12, 2018Great!! 👏🏼👏🏼🌎
Lisa
November 5, 2018Thank you so much for all of your wonderful posts! I’m looking for some advice: my partner lives and works in Switzerland, but he is British. He does not have a Swiss Resident Permit; I believe what he has is called a C Permit. Do you have advice on the “easiest” way to join him long-term? We are happy to get married (and I am also writing to an immigration attorney, but I’ve not heard back), but I’m not even sure that marriage would allow me to join him (since he’s not a Swiss resident). Do you happen know? Or know of the right place to research?
Thanks,
Lisa!
Deborah Hadley
April 15, 2018hi Linsey, love reading your info. It seems that after months of pushing the Netherlands for an EU passport they have finally said NO.., which breaks my heart. I am an Australian citizen who has spent lots of time in Europe and have decided I will now make the move and live in Lucca in Italy. Had it all laid out – just needed the passport – which now is not coming. I have emailed the Italian consulate to no avail. Do you know if the Italians issue Long Term Visas (for up to 5 years) or will grant Residency? I am over 35 and have no plans on working there u less of course I can be self employed. Have an opportunity to run an unoccupied 6 bed palazzo as an Air BnB… any help will be truly gratefully accepted.
Lindsey
April 16, 2018Hey Deborah! Happy you found my site! First of all, you said you had no intents of working, but running an Air BnB is considered working, so that would breach any tourist or non-working visa you are looking to get. Just because you spend a lot of time in Europe as a tourist, does not qualify you for citizenship. (It took me 5 years of paying taxes with the correct visas to gain Swedish citizenship (read about that here). It takes time and you actually have to commit to living in a country full time) I suggest going to the Italian Embassy’s website for Aussie citizens and checking out what visas they offer and the requirements necessary: http://vistoperitalia.esteri.it/home/en
Chernye
March 27, 2018Hey Lindsey i am from Australia and the last 2-3years ‘yes’ lost track of Time’ and been living in belguim i plan to live here my lover he is belguim and does not bêleave in mariage so Time Has past and im now over StaYed my visa and seen if you stay in a placé for five years not moving you çan get résidency but im not sûre and i am at the point where i have Spend to long away from my family i love to be with my partner and i néed to see my family and im scared if i fly home to Australia belguim Will not let mê back and Ive lost all my heart is crushîng It hurts so Much to be so far from my family and to cuddle my mum but to loose the Many i want to have children would kill mê so i dont Know what to do and Ive bécome depressed and my partner is now annoyed with my lazyness wich Come from the lack of being with my people no one understand…
I dont Know what to do im lost and mixed up in Two parts of the world with mite i add so Much war in oh im sûre Many people are hurting but im féeling all and my brait cant work like so…….
Not sûre How you could Help i have already even asked the police here and thèy are so shocked a Australian wants to live in Belgium no on çan Help mê
Ps if you over stay 2-3 years çan the marrige be légal!!!
Thank you
Enjoy have à Nice Life thanks for the Time and thought!!!
Lindsey
April 2, 2018Hello! I’m not sure where you heard that you can turn an illegal status into a legal status, but I’ve heard of someone successfully doing that. If your partner does not want to get married, you should go back to Australia and apply for the Working Holiday visa, or studying, work, etc. You can find all these links here: http://australia.diplomatie.belgium.be/en/travel-to-belgium/visa
Arsalan Moazzam
March 1, 2018Hi, I have been living in barcelona since October 2016 and my visa was expired in 2016. I am actually living here on padron which is just an entry in ajuntamiento.
But now I want to go back to my country. How am I supposed to go back?
Lindsey
March 1, 2018Hello! I am not sure what you mean by you’re in Spain on “pardon.” However, if you came on a tourist visa and overstayed by 2 years, then there is a high possibility you will get stopped and questioned. If you have to apply for future visas, your overstay might lead to a denial. Since the overstay is so large, there really are not any loop holes I know of to help in this circumstance. Best of luck!
Saamee
November 24, 2017Hi there, i have a very important thing to ask about. I worked in portugal paid tax every month for 3 years. My residency was in the process and i left to my country in last may. Will this affect my next application to schengen visa? I would love to make a trip to Switzerland this winter.
Lindsey
November 24, 2017Hey Saamee, did you have a Portuguese tax number? They wouldn’t have given you that on just a tourist visa. That should have given you legal status, so I don’t think this would affect your next schengen application.
Nguyen
October 20, 2017nice!
Francesca Manna
October 16, 2017Hello. My Fiance is in Italy with me, we want to get married in July.. We arrived here in August, so the three months are almost over 🙁 We’re currently looking for jobs for him, he’s a cook and he could be a language assistant, considering he’s a Native Language Speaker. We clearly don’t want to separate from each other for 90 days, so… My question is: if he does overstay, will the overstay be forgiven by getting married?
In the USA if I had overstayed, my overstay would have been forgiven once he’d married me.
Lindsey
October 18, 2017Hey Francesa, sorry, but the statement you made about overstaying in the U.S. and being “forgiven” is simply not true. If the visa you enter the U.S. on has a non-immigrant intent (That is, you are making a promise to return to your home country before the visa expires), then your visa status cannot be changed if you get married. In this situation, U.S. immigration officials will likely consider this a misuse of a tourist visa. You always need a k-1 visa if you plan to marry in the U.S. and an overstay then could be forgiven.
In your case for Italy, I would contact the American Embassy anonymously and ask about this. You can also find all the information here: http://www.esteri.it/mae/en/italiani_nel_mondo/serviziconsolari/statocivile/matrimonio.html